Starting Clinicals and Having Anxiety

OrthoRN09 · Oct 1, 2009

Trust me, you are NOT the only person that feels that way on the first day of clinicals. I had been in the medical field for over 10 years before going to nursing school and I was scared to death. I never slept the night before clinicals. Just remember, you are a student and everyone knows that. You will not be expected to know everything. You are there to learn.

On another note, remember that while you may only have one patient, the nurse you are assigned to has at least 3, maybe more. And she/he did not have the opportunity to prepare/review the charts the day before. If each of those patients is assigned a student, she/he will be very busy. Be patient and if time allows, offer to help with other things you are permitted to do.

Nurse Lulu · Oct 10, 2009

Well don't know if this helps, but I am about to be a new clinical teacher and I am having anxiety! You will do fine, just treat people (non-medically) like you would like to be treated. That is half the battle...people seem to lack common sense.... as for the other stuff, no one expects you to be confident right now, if you were it would be scarry....:redbeathe

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 10, 2009

As previous posters have said, student anxiety is common. I would even consider it normal. So, first of all -- don't assume that the anxiety is a sign that there is something wrong with you, or that you are not cut out to be nurse or anything like that. It's just a normal reaction to facing an important "unknown." We all experience it throughout our careers/lives. It's therefore important to develop some coping skills to help you live with the stress that is inevitable in your career.

Right now ... you are needing some coping skills ... and good for you, you have the good sense to seek advice from experienced nurses. That's a great first step. Feel free to come here and write about your experiences, ask questions, seek support, etc. That should help a bit. Also, develop a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, enough sleep, healthy food, adequate "play" time, and healthy supportive relationships with friends/family. Those things will help you have the inner strength you will need to dope with stress.

For this weekend ... try to find some really fun stuff to do that gets you up and moving, socializing, etc. Keep yourself distracted and give yourself things to smile about.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

jmcc0405 · Oct 15, 2009

Hey I just saw your post (about 2 weeks later). How are clinicals going? I am starting mine next thurs. and I am SOOOO nervous! Probably right up there with you. Everyone in my class is that nervous so you aren't the only one. I am just afraid of looking stupid. Like the teacher asks me a question and I'm like UHH... I don't know?.. hah. I don't feel prepared AT ALL and don't want to make a mistake and get yelled at. We've only been in class for 3 wks so far. Anyways I wish the best of luck to you, where are you doing clinicals at, we are starting in ICU (even more nerve wracking)!! anyways good luck, I'm with ya on the anxiety!! I will probably be puking the day before mine, next week.

Miaizon · Oct 15, 2009

It actually wasnt that bad! I kinda miss it. My anxiety actually dissappeared when I was assigned my patient(i dont know why that was). We start in Geriatrics. We did orientation first 2 days then 3 day was bed baths and vitals.

The adjustment back to class was sort of difficult for me. I had 8 days of no school during clinicals and it seemed like everything I learned since Sept 2 went out the window! lol Mid terms were this morning and boy oh boy was that something! I cant imagine how finals are going to be. I would rather be quizzed daily then wait a week or so to be tested! too much info for my small brain to retain LOL:specs:

ICU must be a real anxiety producer! Good Luck! Please report back to us:up:

jmcc0405 · Oct 15, 2009

Yeah we had our orientation today and I am feeling so discouraged. I just dont know if i was cut out to be a nurse, like not smart enough. I can't imagine having to remember all this stuff it seems like SO MUCH. I'm so used to just being told ok go do this and now it's like with nursing I have to know what to do or I could possibly injure someone or something.

Miaizon · Oct 15, 2009

Yeah I hear ya, it's a huge responsibility. We had the District Attorney come visit us yesterday and scared the pants off many of us. Just think of this as training and when its all done you will have many options to choose from, whether it be nursing home, hospital, ambulatory clinic or doctors office. I myself do not plan on working any where other than doctors office or out patient clinic. Are you in LPN school or RN?

jmcc0405 · Oct 15, 2009

I am in RN, the associates degree program. It's a year & a half (5 trimesters). I am a pretty laid back person, a little shy I guess when i'm out of my comfort zone i gues syou could say. It's just really overwhelming, scary and very nerve wracking. Hopefully I can mkae it through though, how aout you? are you doing LPN or RN or are you finished with one?

Miaizon · Oct 16, 2009

I'm in a LPN program that is 11 months. I'm starting to feel burnt out already and only in 1st semister! :yawn:

Definitely having doubts of being able to go on to an RN program. We shall see

jmcc0405 · Oct 16, 2009

I know how you feel. I have 6 weeks left in first semester and today was my first breakdown day. I never imagined it'd be this much work, despite what everyone told me. I knew it wouldn't be a piece of cake or anything but wow. Anyways, I'm just trying to stick with the saying, you can do anything you put your mind to. Just hang in there, hah I need to tell myself that OVER AND OVER. It'll probably be the best thing we, or at least I, will ever do for myself. I know it's tough to do because I am to the point where I'm like if FIRST semester is this hard imagine next semester and the one after that. I just hope it all works out. Let me know how it goes I am going to try my HARDEST to stay in, the only way i'm done is if i fail out ha. At least you have support with your classmates, hopefully, because they all know exactly what your going through too. My teacher told us to fake it until you actually know what your doing and I've found that it goes a lot smoother if you do that, then people aren't so nervous because they can sense that, and it actually gives you some confidence (not much but a little haha). Well, better get back to studying before bed, good luck and I wish you the best, I'm feeling exactly like you are right now so you aren't alone!!!! sucks, i know.

jen61 · Aug 3, 2012

I just joined this forum today because I was searching frantically for something to help my rising terror/anxiety/panic of the start of my second semester in 10 days (traditional nursing program).

At the start of last semester I was so elated because I got into the nursing program of my choice! I'm an older student; career redirect after corporate world layoff, but my interest in medicine/nursing resurfaced. I had been a nursing assistant after high school and was headed towards nursing but 'had a long detour'. I've had a lot of academic experience but never finished a degree program - got my associate's but never my bachelor's. Anyway, I felt confident when starting nursing school (and my 3 years of experience as CNA in a hospital).

How incredibly unprepared I was for those instructors that, as someone else put it, "eat their nurslings."

Cut to the chase: In my final clinical evaluation my CI told me I would never be a med/surg nurse in a hospital and that maybe I could work in a doctor's office. This particular instructor is loathed by almost all my fellow students. I really felt singled out by her as I asked the other students my clinical group about how she rated them and such. I did finally wise up about mid-semester and when she would call me out I would reply back in a very inquisitive way like "Why do you think this 'error' happened and what can I do to change it?" But before I wised up I outright asked her why she didn't like me - OMG, an invitation for further bullying; how stupid is that?

I would like to thank everyone that has shared their stories and the feedback from the RNs that had their CIs tell them they would never be a nurse. I love working with the patients on my clinical rotation. I worked with RNs on the unit that were encouraging teachers and others that pretty much treated students as annoying gnats.

Thank you for giving me hope and I feel my skin starting to thicken in preparation for my semester. How ironic it is that I made straight A's last semester yet "you'll never be a med/surg nurse at a hospital".